In these verses, Goswami Tulsidas Ji counsels his own mind to take refuge in Lord Rama. This is not merely poetry, but a direction for living life.
Verse 1
काहेको फिरत मन, करत बहु जतन,
मिटै न दुख बिमुख रघुकुल-बीर।
कीजै जो कोटि उपाइ, त्रिबिध ताप न जाइ,
कह्यो जो भुज उठाय मुनिबर कीर ॥ १ ॥**
Transliteration:
Kaaheko phirat mana, karat bahu jatan,
Mitai na dukh bimukh Raghukul-beer;
Keejai jo koti upaai, tribidh taap na jaai,
Kahyo jo bhuj uthaay munibar Keer.
O mind! Why do you wander, making countless efforts? As long as you remain turned away from Lord Rama, the crown jewel of the Raghu dynasty, your sorrows cannot be removed by any other means. Even with millions of attempts, one who is averse to God cannot eliminate the three types of suffering (Sufferings originating from one’s own body and mind, external miseries inflicted by other creatures, human or non-human, and the sufferings caused by higher or unseen forces). This truth was proclaimed by the great sage Shukadeva with raised arms.
Tulsidas ji makes it clear that worldly efforts cannot bring true happiness. As long as a person is distant from God, they cannot be freed from the threefold afflictions (bodily suffering, natural calamities, and mental anguish).
Verse 2
सहज टेव बिसारि तुही धौं देखु बिचारि,
मिलै न मथत बारि घृत बिनु छीर।
समुझि तजहि भ्रम, भजहि पद-जुगम,
सेवत सुगम, गुन गहन गंभीर ॥ २ ॥**
Transliteration:
Sahaj tev bisari tuhi dhon dekh bichari,
Milai na mathat baari ghrit binu cheer;
Samujh tajahi bhram, bhajahi pad-jugam,
Sevat sugam, gun gahan gambheer.
Abandoning your natural tendency, giving up the habit of turning away from Lord Ram, contemplate with a focused mind: can one obtain butter by churning water without milk? Similarly, indulging in worldly pleasures can never bring happiness.
Understanding this, abandon your delusion and worship the divine feet of Lord Ramachandra, which are easily accessible through service and are a deep reservoir of virtues. By serving those feet, wisdom, detachment, peace, and joy are naturally attained.
Just as butter cannot be obtained without milk, true bliss is impossible without devotion to God. The poet-saint explains to the mind that wandering in material pleasures is futile; devotion to Shri Ram is the only path.
Verse 3
आगम निगम ग्रंथ, रिषि-मुनि, सुर-संत,
सब ही को एक मत सुनु, मतिधीर।
तुलसिदास प्रभु बिनु पियास मरै पसु,
जद्यपि है निकट सुरसरि-तीर ॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration:
Aagam nigam granth, rishi-muni, sur-sant,
Sab hi ko ek mat suni, mati-dheer;
Tulsidas Prabhu binu pyaas marai pasu,
Jadyapi hai nikat Sursari-Teer.
With steady intellect, listen to the unanimous doctrine of scriptures, Vedas, other texts, sages, seers, gods, and saints. That doctrine is this: abandoning all desires, one should take refuge in the Lord.
O Tulsidas! Although the banks of the Ganges are near, a tethered animal dies of thirst without its master. Similarly, though the supreme joy of attaining God is easily available, without surrendering to the Lord, it remains unattainable.
This is a profound metaphor. Just as a tied animal cannot drink water despite being near the river, a person cannot experience closeness to God without self-surrender. All scriptures and saints say the same thing: take refuge in the Lord.
The Central Message
In these three verses, Tulsidas ji has explained the essence of life. The wandering of the mind, attachment to worldly objects, and distance from God are the root causes of all suffering. Surrender to Lord Ram is the only path that can liberate one from the threefold afflictions.
Just as butter is impossible without milk, bliss is impossible without devotion. Like the animal sitting by the Ganges, we too are so close to God yet distant from Him only because we have not surrendered ourselves at His feet.
- Effort without devotion is fruitless.
- Worldly joy is temporary.
- Surrender brings liberation.
- God is near, awareness is missing.
“The moment the mind turns toward God, all struggles end.
The moment it turns away, suffering begins again.”
